Combustion-engine.



0. G. SIMMONS.

GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED Imc, al1, 1907.

903,902. Patented N0v.17,19o8.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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0. G. SIMMONS.

COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED DEO. 21, 1907.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. @mi tu uns 0. G. SIMMONS.

GOMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION I'ILIID DBO. 21, 1907.

903,902, Pateniged Nov. 17, 1908. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. l I l f Q 1 l i um lim l H M *Q I k w V I :gl N Q5 E E n l IIN" g5 @mi h1 una A f@ WM' OLIVLR G. SIMMONS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

COMBUSTION-ENGINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908..

Application filed December 21, 1907. Serial No. v407,473.

.To all whom it may concern; 2

Be it lmown that I, OLIVER G. SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, 5 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combustion-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal come'bustion or hydrocarbon engines designed for l0 either high or low speed, for general adaptability', either stationary or otherwise, and for either the single, compound, or multiple type One of the objects aimed at in the present invention is to provide an engine of the type indicated which shall be possessed of a high degree of power and efficiency proportionate to the cost of construction and maintenance, and which shall be, therefore, easy of ma- 20 nipulation and certain of control throughout all of its capabilities of operation.

Another and more specific object is to pro' vide a novel and improved mechanism for supplying fuel from any suitable or well known supply reservoir and delivering the same kby regulated charges to a peculiar form of vaporizer in the ignition or combustion chamber.

Another object is to so design the construction that pure hot air shall be supplied to the engine cylinder where it will not only.

support the operation of combustion but will also serve to purge the said cylinder of foul gases at each inflow of said air into the engine cylinder, the mixture of the vaporized fuel and air taking place only within the cylinder and ignition chamber communieating therewith.

A further object of the invention is to culiar form for governing the amount of fuel discharged at each impulse of the piston in one direction and also to vary the time of such discharge of fuel with respect to the lead of the piston in accordance with the various requirements, as for instance in reversing the engine.

The' fboregoing and other objects of the invention which will presently appear are attained by the mechanism hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the main parts of my engine, certain portions thereof being shown in elevation; Fig. .2 is a verticalsection on the line provide adjustable automatic means of pe 2*-2 of l and showing the cont-rolling mechanism partly in elevation and partly broken away; Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. y2 taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig -l is a vertical sectional'view of the means for feeding the fuel; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the pump operating cam; Fig. 6 is a like view of the adjustable abutment for varying the throw of the pump plunger, and Fig. T isa fragmentary view indicating the form of the connecting member for the automatic governor.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to throughout the following detail description and indicated on the several views of. the .drawings by the same reference characters.

lVhile this engine is designed primarily for operation by a combustion of crude oil as a fuel, it is adapted also for the use of gasolene, alcohol, or any other well known kind of hydrocarbon.l It is to be noted also that while I have illustrated a vertical type of engine, it is to' be understood that the improvements herein set fort-h are applicable also to engines of the horizontal type, and while I have illustrated what I consider to be the best form of my improvements, it is to be understood that some slight variations thereof may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its ad vantages.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, the engine comprises a cylinder A, piston B, crank casing C, crank shaft D, and connecting rod E. The foregoing elements are or may be of any suitable design, and per se constitute no part of my present 1nvention. Mounted upon the compression end of the cylinder A and communicating therewith is a combustion or ignitionlchamber 10 into which the fuel is designed to be fed and therein vaporized. The ignition chamber is fitted with a spark plug 11 of any suitable construction, and except as hercinafter set forth is adapted for its well known pur ose of i iting the mixed vapor and air Wit the ignition chamber and cylin der. The fuel is fed to the ignition cham! In the initial operation of the engine gasolene or some similar hydrocarbon fuel 1s supplied to the feed means through a charging cup or funnel 111 and into a reservoir 15 supported by a rigid portion 16 of the feed pipe. Suitable valves aresupplied to the feed pipe for the purpose of draining the feed pipe and filling the reservoir as herein indicated. Upon operation of the fuel feeding or charging mechanism the fuel is forced into the ignition chamber in a fine stream at frequent intervals and therein is ignited by a spark from the spark plug 11 in a well known manner. After a brief operation of the engine in this manner the walls of the ignition chamber 10 and the vaporizer 13 become so hot that the fuel introduced thereto will blecome immediately vaporized by virtue of the vaporizer 13, without engaging the structure of the vaporizer or the walls of the ignition chamber while in a liquid state and the same will immediately ignite by spontaneous combustion, the sparking apparatus at such time beingthrown out of operation by any suitable form of switch, or the like. The vaporizer 13 is herein indicated as being ahollow tubular member extending Within the ignition chamber practically to the center thereof, and being provided with numerous p'erforations whereby the. operation of vap orization of the introduced fuel and the subsequent mixture thereof with the air in the cylinder and combustion of the mixture is facilitated. The ignition chamber is unj acketed for the reason that it is desired that it be kept hot, but is guarded by a shield or guard 17 as indicated.

The cylinder A is jacketed by a Well known form of water jacket 18 to which `a cooling medium is supplied through a pipe 19 and from which the same may circulate through the pipe 20. In order to keep the tempera ture of the fuel supplied to the engine at a sufficiently low temperature so as to preventl any possibility of vaporizing thereof before it is admited to the vaporizer 13, I provide a jacket 21 surrounding thev nozzle 12 and through which the cooling medium may pass, the same being brought into communication Awith the maincylinder jacket through the flexible pipes 22 and 23.

The cylinder A is provided with an air inlet port 24 and an exhaust port 25. The

- inlet port is located substantially at the compression end of the cylinder, and preferably the exhaust port is located at the opposite end thereof. The exhaust port 25 communicates with the tubular outlet 26, the walls of which become highly heated during the operation of the engine by reason of contact therewith of the highly heated products of combustion. The air jacket or passage 27 embraces. said outlet and passage 26 and a pipe 28 leads therefrom into the crank casing C. On the operation of the piston B, fresh,

pure, or atmospheric air is drawn directly into the crank casing at a point remote from the piston through the passages 27 and 28, such air being drawn into the passage 27 in small jets through -a series of small holes 29 and coming into contact with the walls of the passage 26 becomes highly heated. A check valve 30 prevents backward movement of such heated air from the crank casing. Leading 'outwardly from the crank casing and communicating with the intake port 24 of the cylinder is a passage 31 through which fresh, pure hot air is supplied from the crank casing directly to the clearance space of the engine cylinder, a check valve 32 Guarding its passage in a manner similar to that already described. Each of the check valves 30 and 32 is provided with adjusting means as shown. By utilizing fresh hot air for application to the engine cylinder the operative parts are not subjected to any chilling effect -which would be incidental to the use of ordinary atmospheric air, it being essential in the usual operation that the walls of the ignition chamber be maintained at a high temperature. It is to be observed furthermore in this connection that all vaporizing of the fuel takes place within the walls of the ignition chamber and that the air supplied to support the combustion thereof and any incidental mixture of vapor and air takes place entirely within the ignition chamber and engine cylinder communicating therewith.

The engine herein illustrated being of the two cycle type, fuel is admitted to the vaporizer and ignition chamber at each rotation of the crank and also pure hot air is admitted under compression into the cylinder once during each rotation. therefore that at each positive stroke of the piston the admitted fresh air will purge the cylinder of foul gases, a sufficient quantity of such pure fresh air being retained in the cylinder for the purpose of the next combustion. As a suitable means for introducing fuel to the ignition chamber and in cooperation with the feed pipe or nozzle above described, I employ a pump 33 having a plunger 34 Which is operated in one direction positively by a .member secured to the crank shaft, such member being indicated as a cam 35, and operated in the opposite direction by a spring 36. It Will thus be seen that at eachl rotation of the crank shaft the pump plunger will be given a positive impulse to feed fuel through the feed pipe and into the Vaporizer. In order to vary the time at which such feeding of fuel takes place with respect to the position of the piston the member 35 and the pump 33 are relatively adjustable. As indicated herein the cam 35 bears a fixed relation to the crank shaft While the pump is adjustable therearound.

The pump mechanism is mountedl upon a casing 37 to which is secured a suitable hand It will be seen lever 38 having' adjustable coperation with a segment 39 secured to the crank casing C. By movement of the pump through the -means indicated circumferentially about the from any suitable reservoir for fuel and pipe 42 leading therefrom toward the reservoir l5 will be made of exible material. A branch pipe 43 is employed for connection with the main feed pipe in order that the contents of the same and reservoir 15 may be drained back into the main fuel reservoir initial to the introduction of gasolene, or the like, into the feed pipe in priming the engine as above indicated. During the operation of the priming of the engine it is desirable that the spark shall take place at a certain definite time relative to the operation of the plunger. To this end I provide a spring contact point 44 so mounted upon the inner wall of the casing 37 as to be carried thereby during its adjustment and lying in the path of a projection 45 on the said fplunger. On each stroke of the plunger the projection 45 will make an electrical contact with contact blade 44 closing the circuit.

In order to vary the length of stroke of thepump plunger and thereby vary the amount of fuel fed to'the ignition chamber with the consequent variation in the speed of the engine, I provide a suitable means for limiting the movement of the plunger.

through its operation by the spring 36. To this end the plunger .or a shoulder 46 thereon is adapted to engage an adjustable abut-- ment 47, the position of the abutment determining the length of. the stroke of the plunger. aid abutment may be supported and operated by any convenient means. I have indicated herein that the same is .carried upon an annulus 48 embracing the crank shaft D and adjacent to the cam 35. The annulus 48 but for its adjustment for the operation herein indicated is stationary, the crank shaft and cam 35 rotating with relation thereto. The abutment 47 is indicated as being cam shaped and upon movement of its supporting means about the axis of the crank shaft the cam face will cause the desired variation in throw of the plunger. Adjustment of the abutment 47 may be effected by any suitable means, that herein indicated being an automatic means through its con-` 37 is driven through worm gearing directly from the crank shaft. The proper sensitiveness of the governor may be determined by means of a spring controlled rod 5l having an adjustable turnbuckle connection 52 to an arm 53 secured to the annulus 48. Upon excessive speed of the engine the governor will cause thearm 53 to be elevated, moving the abutment 47 in the direction indicated by the arrow of Fig. 2, reducing the feed of the pump.

The cam 35 and worm 54 are preferably keyed to the crank shaft for positive operation therewith and are held from displacement thereon by suitable locknuts 55. The casing 37 may if desired be supplied with suitable lubricant. As indicated in Fig. 4 the crank shaft D may project suiiiciently far beyond the casing 37 for the application of a crank in starting the engine. A fly wheel 56-may if desired be applied at eithc'r end of the crank shaft D.

On the compression stroke of the piston, the pure hot air is compressed into the combustion chamber, and since the compression pressure may be anything for which the engine is designed without liability to preignition expansion could be carried to a high degree by adjustment of the pump stroke to suit the fuel being used. This will permit the engine to be built with the. smallest possible mechanical clearance, as at a, and will greatly enhance the eiiciency and desirability of the engine, without the disadvantages usually incidental to the ordinary two and four cycle hydrocarbon engines.. It is to be noted, furthermore, that since the whole charge of vapor is not burning at any one time, there is nothing in the nature of a violent explosion. The vapor being formed entirelyr within the ignition or combustion chamber, and being ignited by spontaneous combustion, will burn with any excess of air present.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is,

l. In a hydrocarbon engine, thecombination of a cylinder, a piston therein, an ignition chamber at one end of the cylinder, said end having a clearance space, an exhaust port and tubular passage leading from the cylinder, a fresh air jacket embracing said tubular passage, the walls of said jacket being provided with numerous small holes through which fresh air is introduced into the jacket and whereby the said airV impinges in smalljets against the heated walls of the exhaust passage, a crank casing connected ,to the end of the cylinder opposite the ignition chamber, a passage through which the heated fresh air is conveyed from said jacket directly into the crank casing, at a point remote from. the piston, a movable valve in said pa'ssagje, a second passage leading from the crank casing and conveying the heated fresh air directly into said clearance space of the cylinder, and a movable valve in said second passage.

2. In a hydrocarbon engine, the combination of a cylinder, an ignition chamber communicating therewith, a piston in the cylinder, a. shaft operated by the piston, a pump associated with said shaft to supply charges of fuel to the ignition chamber, a member mounted upon the shaft aforesaid to operate said pump, vand means for adjusting the pump circumferentially around the shaft whereby the introduction of fuel into the ignition chamber and the combustion thereof may be varied with respect to the position of the piston.

3. The combination with the cylinder having a water jacket, piston, and crank casing, of an unjacketed ignition chamber communicating with the cylinder, a vaporizer associated Wit-h said ignition chamber and comprising a hollow perforated open-ended cylindrical member extending within the chamber, a water acketed feed pipe exterior to the chamber and to which said cylindrical member has threaded connection, the water jacket of the feed pipe being in communication with the main cylinder water jacket, and means for feeding fuel to and through the vaporizer.

4. A hydrocarbon engine comprising, in combination, a cylinder, an ignition chamber communicating with the cylinder, and means for supplying liquid fuel to the ignition chamber, the same including a valved pipe, a charging cup mounted on the upper portion thereof, a reservoir to receive the charge from the cup, and means to force the liquid fuel from the reservoir and pipe into the ignition chamber.

5. In an engine of the typel described, the combination with the cylinder, piston, igni* tion chamber, and crank shaft, of means for feeding fuel to the ignition chamber, said means including a pump having a plunger, means secured to the crank shaft for operating the plunger in one direction, automatic means to operate the plunger in the opposite direction, and means for varying the-effect of said automatic means so as to vary the quantity of fuel delivered by the pump, said last mentioned means including a member mounted loosely on the crank shaft and a cam on said member adapted to be engaged by the said plunger when operated by the said automatic means.

6. In combination with the cylinder, pis- -ton, ignition chamber, and crank shaft of a hydrocarbon engine, of a pump for feeding fuel to the ignition chamber, said pump comprising a plunger, a cam for positively operating the plunger in one direction, a spring to operate the plunger in the opposite direction, and means driven from the crank shaft for automatically varying the length of stroke of the pump plunger when operated upon by the spring, said means including an annulus mounted upon the crank shaft and a cam secured to the annulus.

7 In a hydrocarbon engine, the combination with the cylinder, piston, ignition chamber, and`crank shaft, of a pump for feeding fuel to the ignition chamber and comprising a plunger, means for adjusting the pump mechanism circumferentially about the crank shaft, means on said shaft to operate 'said plunger radially relative thereto in any position of adjustment, and means to vary the length of the stroke of the plunger.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OLIVER G. SIMMONS.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. BEELER, J. F. RoBB. 

